Contatto di riferimento: Gabriele Giovannini
Partecipanti: Marica Branchesi: Università di Urbino "Carlo Bo" e INFN di Firenze
Abstract:
100 years after the formulation of the theory of general relativity by Albert Einstein,
gravitational waves have been observed on September 14, 2015 by the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, LIGO. This marked the birth of the era of
gravitational-wave astronomy opening a new way to listen to the Universe.
The detected signal
provides the first observational evidence of the existence of “heavy” stellar-mass black holes, and that they inspiral and merge within the age of the Universe. Electromagnetic and high-energy-neutrino follow-up observations have been performed starting the new multi-messenger astronomy including gravitational waves. The colloquium will describe the discovery, its astrophysical implications and the multi-messenger follow-up campaign of GW150914